Why Do Processed Foods Cause So Many Diseases?

There are many scientific studies and health organizations alarming about the dangers behind processed foods. Having a tendency to negatively influence the intestinal microbiota, these food products are known to be able to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Is this the new disease of the century and what other health problems can it cause? Focus.

Consumption of processed foods is responsible for many diseases

A frightening statistic shows that unhealthy diets killed 11 million people in 2017 worldwide. This is mainly due to the consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods which increase the risk of a wide variety of health problems. These mainly include heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, and depression.

Two studies published in The British Medical Journal provide new findings about processed foods and the many health risks they pose. One of them found that consuming four servings of such food every day increases the risk of premature death by 62%. The other shows an increase in cardiovascular disease of 10%.

Cheap and easily accessible, processed foods have taken over the market and are literally everywhere. What's more, they are constantly being marketed so it becomes really hard to avoid them. And in this context, can we identify them as an evil of the century just like the addiction to online shopping?

By way of background, research examining the relationship between ultra-processed foods and mortality, has tracked the eating habits of around 20,000 people aged 20 to 91, mostly in Spain. The study ran for a period of 15 years during which 335 participants died.

It is also important to clarify that the two studies were not designed to determine whether processed foods can directly cause health problems or premature death. However, scientists believe that chemical additives and industrial processing intended to modify foods could worsen the condition of the human organism.

* Source: Reuters